Massaging device



Jan. 12 ,'1926.

C. R. KRAUTHOFF IASSAGING DEVICE Filed May 23, 1925 ATTORNEY PatentedJan. 12, 1926,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

iuassAome nnvrcn.

Application filed M8323, 1925. Serial No. 32,497.

To allcvhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. KRAUT- HOFF, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of 'Washington, District of Columbia, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in a Massaging Device, of whichthe following discription, in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification. I

This invention relates to a massaging device and consists in certainpeculiarities of construction, novel arrangement and operation of thevarious parts thereof, as Wlll be hereinafter more fully set forth andspecifically claimed.

' The principal object of the invention is to provide a massaging devicewhich shall be of simple, durable and inexpensive 'construction, easilymanipulated, eflicient in o eration and which adjusts itself to most eectively massage any part of the body.

A further object is to rovide a massaging device which thoroug ly kneadsor manipulates the flesh by a combined opposite lateral movement andcupping thereof, thus giving the flesh a succession of undulations inopposite directions and at the same time depressing and'raising theflesh at certain intervals all of which will be brought out further inthe following description.

Briefly stated this invention comprises a massaging device consisting ofa frame or holder on which is pivotally mounted. a plurality ofhelically grooved friction rollers, having a spirally arranged series ofsuction openings, the rollers being mounted to assume various positionsdepending on the contour of the surface over which they are passed.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings in whichcorresponding parts are indicated by similar reference characters:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing the rollers with their longitudinalaxes lying within the same plane.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showingv the rollers with their longitudinalaxes lying in different plane and :Fig. 3 is a perspective of the framewith the rollers removed.

In the familiar types of massaging devices now in use the limitedmovement of the flesh under the action of the rollers and lack ofadjustability reduces the ef'fi- 66 cienoy of said devices.

It is therefore the aim and purpose of this invention to effect amassaging device which owing to its simplicity and adjustabihty providesa most efficient and inexpen- 0 sive means for'thoroughly massaging anyportion of the body.

In the illustrated embodiment characterlzlng this invention (1)indicates a yoke shaped supporting frame fastened centrally to a handle(2) either end of said oke being bent at (3) to form clamping orks (4),the extremities of said forks being bent inwardly and rounded or knobbedto form trunnions (5). Fastened permanently to 7 the supporting frame(1) at the bent portion (3). ,and positioned normally to the frame aresegmental sleeves (6), in which are slidably mounted semicircular guides(7). These semicircular guides (7) are also 7 bent normally at theirextremities and rounded or knobbed to form trunnions (8) and (9). Thetrunnions (5) which are located at the extremities of the clamping forks(4) have adjacently'mounted flanges 3o (10). On these trunnions arepivotally mounted cross-arms (11).

These cross-arms contain circular openings located centrally at (12) andat either end at (13) and (14).- The trunnions (5) 5 of the clampingforks (4) project through the openings (12) and thus form a pivotalconnection for the cross-arms (11), whereas in the case of the'trunnions(8) and (9) which project through the openings (13) 9 and (14), they areheld rigidly in lace in the cross-arm, since the cross-arms 11) arerigidly fastened to the semicircular guides (7) at either end.

The friction rollers (16), (17) and (18) are grooved spirally'as shownin Fig. 1, the grooves and corresponding mounds being indicated by (19)and (20) respectively.

At suitable intervals along the crest of the mounds throughout theentire axial length of the rollers are suitably shaped depressions orvacuum cups (21). These depressions are of sufficient depth to cause asuckingor cupping of the flesh as the roller is passed over the same.

At the ends of the rollers (16), (17) and (18) are located journalswhich are composed of a flange (22) and a bearin portion (23) mounted incylindrically rilled holes (24). In these journals are mounted thetrunnions (5) of the clamping forks (4) and trunnions (8) and (9) of thesemicircular guides Since the diameter of the holes (24) into which thejournals are fitted are larger than the diameter of the knobbedtrunnions the clearance thus provided permits a swivelling action of therollers, thus ermitting the rollers to assume a variety 0 positions inrelation to one another and to thereb conform to the contour of the bodyas they are passed over the same.

In the operation of this device as the rollers are passed over the bodythe move the flesh from side to side in opposite undulations or Waveswhich are produced by the alternate oppositely spiraled surfaces of therollers, and as cups 21 are brought into and out of firm contact withthe flesh as the device is moved along they raise the same and releaseit thus producing a cupping effect.

In conclusion it is evident this invention provides a massaging devicewhich if regularly applied will stimulate the action of the skin,increase circulation of the blood and afford general body developmentdependent on the requirements of the patient.

Although in the foregoing certain components have been definedas bestadapted to. perform the functions allotted to them, nevertheless it isto be understood that various minor changes may be resorted to withinthe scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificingany of the principles of this invention.

Having described my invention, what it claim as new and wish to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A massaging device comprising a plurality of normally parallelrollers having spirally formed surfaces, the spirals of the respectiverollers being inversely arranged, a mounting journalling the extremitiesof the rollers and means in connection with such mounting to permitrelative angular movement of the rollers so that they will conformto thecontour of the surface over which they are caused to travel.

2. A massaging device comprising a plurality of normally parallelrollers having their surfaces spirally formed and provided with a seriesof cupping openings the spirals of the respective rollers beinginversely arranged, a mounting journalling the extremities of therollers and means in connection with such mounting to permit relativeangular roller adjustment to the contour of the surface over which theyare caused to travel.

3. A massaging device comprising a plurality of normally parallelrollers having spirally formed surfaces, the spirals of the respectiverollers proceeding in o osite directions and the surfaces of the roll rsbeing formed with a spiralling series of cupping openings, a mountingfor the rollers journalling their extremities and means in connectionwith such mounting to permit relative angular movement of the rollers sothat they will conform to the contour of the surface over which they arecaused to travel.

4. A massaging device comprising a trio of normally parallel rollershaving spirally formed surfaces and provided with a plurality of cuppingopenings, the spiral of the y innermost roller being inverse to that ofthe outermost rollers, a mounting journalling the extremities of therollers and means in connection with such mounting to permit angularmovement of the outermost rollerswith respect to the innermost roller tomaintain the rollers in contact with the surface over which they arecaused to travel, regardless of the contour of said surface.

5. A massaging device comprisin a frame, a roller supporting cross-armswivelly mounted at each end of the. frame, a trio of normally parallelrollers arranged between the cross-arms, the outermost rollers beingrotatably connected to the extremities and the intermediate roller tothe pivotal point of the cross-arms to permit angular movement of theoutermost rollers with respect to the intermediate roller to maintainsaid rollers in contact with the surface over which they are caused topass regardless of the contour of said surface.

6. A massaging device comprising a frame, cross-arms swivelly mounted ateach end of the frame, a trio of normally parallel rollers situatedbetween the cross-arms, the outermost rollers of the trio beingrotatably connected to the extremities of the crossarms, theintermediate roller being connected to the pivotal point of saidcross-arms to permit relative angular movement of the outermost rollerswith respect to the innermost roller, said rollers having a series ofcupping openings and being spirally formed, the spiral of theintermediate roller being inverse to that of the outermost rollers.

massaging device comprising a mounting, a plurality of oppositelyspiralled rollers rotatably supported in said mounting, and means inconnection with the said mounting-to permit angular movement of saidrollers in such a manner that they will conform to the contour of thesurfaces over which they are passed.

8. A massaging device comprising a ing, the rollers being normallydisposed in frame, including oppositely disposed end parallelrelation,but susceptible of relative pieces, roller mountings carried in said endangular movement dependent upon the con 10 pieces and movable through anarc vertical tour of the' surface over which they are 5 with respect tothe longitudinal axes of the caused to travel.

frame, a plurality of rollers swivelly connected at their extremities tothe mount- CHARLES R. KRAUTHOFF.

